Former hostage Emily Damari marries partner Danielle Amit in Tel Aviv
“For 471 days, she was held in captivity. The thought of standing here tonight, seeing my daughter alive, safe, happy, and standing beside the person she loves, would have been impossible to imagine.”
Former hostage Emily Damari married her partner, Israeli food influencer Danielle “Dani” Amit, in Tel Aviv on Thursday, marking a joyful new chapter less than two years after her release from Hamas captivity.
Damari, 30, and Amit, 36, began their wedding celebrations with an intimate dinner for family and close friends before exchanging vows beneath a chuppah. Their dog, Mayo, joined the couple and their immediate family during the ceremony, which was followed by an evening of music and dancing.
Several former hostages attended the wedding, including Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, Liri Albag, Danielle Gilboa, Omer Shem Tov, Keith and Aviva Siegal, and twins Gali and Ziv Berman.
Damari was shot and abducted from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. She was taken to Gaza alongside the Berman brothers and remained in captivity for 471 days.
She was released on January 19, 2025, together with Gonen and Steinbrecher. Images of Damari raising her bandaged hand after returning to Israel were seen around the world. She lost two fingers after being shot during the attack.
Damari met Amit in the months following her release. The couple publicly confirmed their relationship on June 1, 2025, and became engaged in January 2026, one year after Damari returned home.
For the wedding, both brides wore custom designs by Israeli fashion designer Oria Azran. Amit chose an off-the-shoulder lace gown featuring floral details, sheer sleeves and a flowing train. Damari wore an ivory double-breasted suit with wide-leg trousers.
Guests were not given a formal dress code, but the invitation included one firm request: no red clothing or even red lipstick. The rule was reportedly inspired by Damari’s dislike of the Israeli soccer team associated with the color.
Speaking during the celebration, Damari’s mother, Mandy, described the wedding as more than a marriage ceremony.
“There was a time when I wasn’t sure I would ever see Emily again,” she said. “For 471 days, she was held in captivity. And during those endless days and nights, there were moments when the thought of standing here tonight, seeing my daughter alive, safe, happy, and standing beside the person she loves, would have been impossible to imagine.”
She called the occasion “a celebration of life, of love, of hope, and of a future” that she had once feared her daughter might not have.
Addressing the newlyweds, Mandy Damari praised the way they support one another.
“Watching the two of you together, I can see something very precious: the way you make each other laugh, the way you support and encourage each other, and the way you seem to make each other feel completely at home,” she said.
“Tonight, I don’t want to look back at the 471 days. I want to look forward to all the days ahead,” she added. “Because after everything, my daughter is here. She is loved. She is happy. And she is beginning a new chapter with you, Dani.”